"The night passed peacefully, the Pope rested." This was communicated by the Vatican Press Office .

Good news, but it does not dispel fears for the Pope's condition , who yesterday went through one of the most delicate days of his hospitalization at Gemelli, which began on February 14.

Bergoglio, yesterday's medical bulletin reported, "is not out of danger, his condition is critical." Yesterday morning, Pope Francis had "an asthmatic respiratory crisis of prolonged severity, which also required the application of high-flow oxygen ." Blood tests also revealed "thrombocytopenia," that is, a lack of platelets, "associated with anemia, which required the administration of blood transfusions."

The prognosis is reserved. The situation, in short, is very delicate, even if Bergoglio continues to be vigilant and yesterday also "spent the day in an armchair", even if "in more pain" than in previous days.

Meanwhile, for the second consecutive Sunday, and for obvious reasons, the Pope's Angelus is being released only in written form, and the expectations and hopes of many faithful are thus disappointed, including several present today at the Gemelli, who wanted to see him appear from the suite on the tenth floor to lead the Sunday Marian prayer .

We will now have to wait several days to understand the effect and efficacy of the therapies, in an infection that is "polymicrobial" and in an 88-year-old person who has his fragilities , although with a very resistant temperament.

The hospital stay, it was said yesterday, cannot but last at least the whole of next week, but at this point perhaps even longer. And in the future many aspects must be taken into account, including the fact that even if pneumonia is defeated, the "chronic situations" would remain, that is, bronchiectasis with asthmatic bronchitis, the one whose worsening has been fertile ground for the lung infection.

Meanwhile, more and more high-ranking cardinals are intervening to stop the recent speculation about the Pope's possible resignation . In an interview with Corriere, Cardinal Pietro Parolin , Secretary of State, speaks of "useless speculation," "uncontrolled rumors," and "out of place comments."

For his part, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández , Bergoglio's theologian of reference, interviewed by the Argentine daily newspaper La Nación, states that " it makes no sense for some groups to push for a resignation . They have already done so several times in recent years, and this can only be a completely free decision of the Holy Father, for it to be valid."

(Online Union)

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